Rio favelas march against police violence in Brazil

Euronews

Several activist groups joined forces for a march in Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana on Monday to protest against police violence in the city’s slum neighbourhoods.

Dozens of people have been killed recently as special slum police cracked down ahead of the World Cup, but the militarised force is hated by the poor and has a bad reputation for violence.

Football tourists took photos as the march went past them, with one banner that read “The party in the stadiums is not worth the tears in the Favelas”.

“This is a protest against the Cup and state violence, especially the UPP slum police. I live in Manguinhos and since the UPP have arrived five people have been murdered by the hands of the state,” said one activist.

“My son, Jonathan de Oliveira Lima was killed by the police, shot in the back by the UPP,” said one mother.

Another three people, including a police officer, died in the Alemao favela on Sunday after two shooting incidents. Several people were injured.